Core lifting and setting fixture



Dec. 29, 1953 M. E. LENTZ 2,663,919

CORE LIFTING AND SETTING FIXTURE Filed March 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,7; -12772;: mmnlz /z IIII Gttorneg M. E. LENTZ 2,663,919 CORE LIFTING AND SETTING FIXTURE Filed March 27, 1951 Dec. 29, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bnventdr Gttornegs Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORE LIFTING AND SETTING FIXTURE Marshall E. Lentz, Bedford, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application March 27, 1951, Serial No. 217,807

6 Claims. 1 This invention has to do with a device for lifting and setting a plurality of elements forming a circular series or assembly thereof.

There are many instances in which it is desirable to be able to handle as a unit a circular series of articles as by lifting the same from one position and locating the same in a second position. For example, in handling a circular series of cores the several cores making up the series can be accurately arranged or assembled in one fixture and then the entire series lifted there from as a unit and placed in a mold, whereupon when the cores are released they are properly located and arranged in a circular series in the mold. The present invention is primarily concerned with an improved device for lifting and setting a plurality of parts making up a circular series of parts, and is especially adapted to handle a circular series or assembly of cores.

Reference is herewith made to the accompanying drawings showing a device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure l is a view substantially on line l--! in Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a plan view with parts broken away of the device illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevational view on line 3-3 of Figure 1 with parts broken away to show certain portions of the device more clearly.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 except that the parts are in a different operative position.

' Referring to the several figures of the drawings, the reference numeral It represents a lower fixture having a circularly arranged channel l2 which is adapted to have placed therein a'plurality of sand cores or other articles represented by reference character [3. With the angularshaped core shown, it is necessary to provide a cut-away portion it for the channel [2 in order that the last core which completes a circular series of cores in said channel may be moved into place in the channel. Reference numerals 15 represent spaces between the several cores intermediate the ends thereof which will form a circularly arranged series of vanes in an article which later on willbe cast in a mold having the circular series of cores inserted therein.

The lower fixture has also a generally circular flange 16 extending in a horizontal plane. The lower fixture has also an upstanding flange 22 which has an outer tapered or inclined surface 23. Flange 22 is of generally circular or annular shape except for the cut-away portion I4.

Above the lower fixture and circular series of cores therein is shown an upper fixture indicated generally by reference numeral 24, said upper fixture being adapted to pick up the entire circular series of cores as a unit and hold the same in accurate fixed positions relative to each other until the circular series of cores is inserted and released in a mold. The upper fixture comprises a generally disc-like member 25 having three downwardly depending legs 26 disposed at intervals of 120 around the circumference of the said disc-like member. Removably secured to the three downwardly depending legs 26 by screws 28 are tapered plates 27, the inclined surfaces of the plates 2'! being. adapted to contact the tapered surface 23 of the lower fixture. By means of the cooperation between the tapered plates and the taperedsurface 23, the upper fixture is located in proper relative position with reference to the lower fixture and the cores therein.

Removably secured to the central portion of the upper face of the disc-like member 25 by screw 29 is a wear plate 29. On the under face of the disc-like portion 25 is a downwardly ,extending flange 30 of circular or annular shape adapted to contact the upper and outer peripheral surface 3| of the circular series of cores. On the underface of the disc-like member 25 at the center thereof is a cut-away portion 32. Below the cutaway portion 32 is a generally annular member 34 having its outer periphery of arcuate shape in cross section as indicated at 36 so as to support a resilientmember such as a hollow rubber tube or hose 38. In theposition of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the outer periphery of the rubber hose 38 is shown as radially separated by a small space til from'the inner peripheral or circumferential surface 3! of the upper end of the circular series of cores. The rubber tube or hose is in the form of a complete circle andis' carried by the peripheral portion is of member 34. The rubber hose is of generally circular shape in cross section except that the upper surface thereof is flattened as indicated at 39 so as to provide better engagement with the underface of disc-like member 25.

The generally annular member t l'whichvcarries the hose 3!! is supported by means of four similar bolts er screws 42. which extend upwardlythrough disc-like member 25, the enlarged heads of the screws being-located in member 34.. The upper ends of the four screws 42, are threaded into transversely extending rods'M above the. upper face of disc-like member 25, a pair of screws 42 beingsecured to each rod 44. Nuts 46 secure the screws 42 in adl lsted position relative to the rods 44. Pivoted on the rods 44 are a pair of link members 48 having their inner ends formed with curved or arcuate surfaces 50 adapted to fulcrum on the wear plate 29 in the upper face of disc-like member 25. The outer end of each link member 48 has an elongated slot 52 formed therein. These slots are adapted to cooperate with pins 53'. Supported on the upper face of disc-like member 25 by means of screws 49 is an inverted, generally U-shaped member indicated generally by Member 5| has a portion 5i" adapted to be grasped by the hand of an operator. It also has side portions having elongated slots 54 formed therein.

The outer ends of the links 48 are adapted to pass through slots 54. These slots serve as guides for movement of said links. The slots 54 also serve as guides for the legs 55 of a handle member 56. The lower ends of the legs are bifurcated as shown at 5'1 and these bifurcated portions have fixed thereto the pins 53.

The operation of the device will now be described. The operator first will place a circular series of cores in the annular channel ii in the lower fixture. In this particular instance. due to the angular shape of the cores, it is necessary to have a cut-away portion 14 in the periphcry of the lower fixture in order that the last core or cores may be placed in position to complete the continuous circular series of cores.

When the circular series of cores is completely arranged in the channel 12 of the lower fixture, the upper fixture is placed above the same with the plates El on the three depending, legs 26 in contact with the tapered portion 23 of the lower fixture. This locates the upper fixture in proper spaced relation relative to the lower fixture and the cores therein- In the form of fixture shown, the downwardly depending flange 30 of circular shape engages the outer peripheral surface portion of the upper portion of the circular series of cores;

After locating the parts as just described, the handle 58 and member 5| are in the relative positions shown in Figures 1 and 2. As is apparent from these figures, the collapsible rubber hose is out of contact with the inner periphery of the upper portion of the circular series of cores in this stage in the operation. The operator then will move the handle 56. toward the portion 5t of the inverted, generally U-shaped member 5i, thereby raising the outer ends of links 48 by means or the pins 53. The links are thus caused. to pivot On'the rods 44, the inner ends 56 of the links 48 being iulcrumed on the wear plate 29. This moves the rods 44, screws 42 and member 34 upwardly. The upward movement of annular member 34 continues until the upper face thereof contacts the lower face formed by the cut-away portion 32 in disc-like member 25. This position of the parts is shown in Figure 4. The upward movement of the parts causes a deformation of the rubber hose with a change in its cross-secrtional shape and with an increase of the outer circumference to cause the same to close the space and finally to resiliently contact the inner periphery of the upper ends of the circular series of cores. The circular series of cores then may be lifted as a unit with the upper fixture and may be inserted as a circular unit in a mold. P

Movement of member 56 downwardly from memher 5! will release the circular series of cores in said mold.

Generally speaking, the cores may be of any suitable type such as resin bonded sand or sand bonded by other known core binding mediums. Sand cores are somewhat frangible and cannot stand too much rough handling. However, the present apparatus is one which lends itself very well to handling sand cores in such a way that there is very little likelihood of breakage.

Various changes and modifications of the embodiment of my invention described therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for handling as a unit a circular series of articles having an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface, comprising a lower fixture having means for locating and supporting a circular series of articles; an upper fixture; and means for locating the upper fixture in a desired position relative to the lower fixture and series of articles, said upper fixture having downwardly extending means adapted to contact the outer periphery of said circular series of articles; resilient means normally oi' somewhat lesser dimension than that of the inner periphery of said circular series of articles in juxtaposition with said downwardly extending means and means for deforming said resilient means to cause the periphery thereof to be enlarged and moved intocontact with the inner periphery of said circular series of articles supported on said lower fixture.

2. An apparatus for handling as a unit a circular series of articles having. an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface, comprising a lower fixture having an annular groove therein withm which may be located and supported a circular series of articles; an upper fixture; and cooperating surfaces on said upper and lower fixtures for locating the same in a desired. position. relative to each other and said series of articles; said upper fixture having fixed means extending downwardly adapted tocontact an outer periphery of said. circular series of articles, resilient means of circular shape in juxtaposition with said downwardly extending means, the outer circumference of said resilient means being normally of somewhat less dimension than that of the inner periphery of said circular series of articles and means for deforming said resilient means of circular shape to cause the circumference thereof to be enlarged and moved into contact with the inner periphery of said circular series of articles supported on said lower fixture.

3; An apparatus for handling as a unit a circular series of articles, comprising a lower fixture having an annular groove therein within which may be located and supported a circular series of articles, an upper fixture and means for loeating the upper fixture in a desired position relative tothe lower fixture and circular series of articles thereon, said upper fixture having a generally disc-shaped portion having a depending portion of circular shape adapted to contact an outer peripheral surface of said circular series of articles, a member below said disc-shaped portion having its periphery of arcuate shape in cross section, a rubber tube carried by the arcuateshaped portion of said member, the outer circumference of the rubber tube normally being of somewhat lesser dimension than that of an inner periphery of said circular series of articles, and means for moving the member and rubber hose carriedthereby toward the underfacc of said disc-like member to deform the rubber hose and increase the circumference thereof so that it-rebe lifted as a unit from the annular groove in the lower fixture.

generally disc-shaped portion having a depending portion of circular shape adapted to contact an outer peripheral surface of said circular series the annular groove in the lower fixture.

5. An apparatus for handling as a unit a cir- 6. An apparatus for handling as a unit a circular series of articles having an outer peripheral surface and aninner peripheral surface comported a circular series of articles; fixture and means for locating the upper fixture in a desired position relative to the lower fixture outer periphery arcuately shaped in cross section for supporting said tube, means for raising said annulus and tube into contact with the under face of said member to deform said tube and increase its circumference so that it engages said inner peripheral surface.

MARSHALL E. LEN TZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,461,222 Myers July 10, 1923 1,943,483 Miller Jan. 16, 1934 

